The Bobcat 751 is a skid-steer loader from the 700 series of Bobcat Company, an American manufacturer of farm and construction equipment based in West Fargo, North Dakota. The company also sells compact excavators, side-by-sides, compact tractors and mowers.
Bobcat 751 at a glance
| Maker | Bobcat Company |
|---|---|
| Type | skid-steer loader |
| Series | 700 |
| Company base | West Fargo, North Dakota |
| First skid-steer | Melroe M400, 1960 |
| Name introduced | 1962, on the 440 loader |
| Parent company | Doosan Group |
| European headquarters | Czech Republic, since 2017 |
| Source | English Wikipedia, Bobcat Company |
Model-specific specifications are not covered by the available source, the English Wikipedia article on Bobcat Company; the page is based on that single source.
History of the Bobcat 751
The request that started Bobcat
In 1956 Eddie Velo, who farmed turkeys near Rothsay, Minnesota, described a need for a machine that could work inside a pole barn and on its upper level. Louis and Cyril Keller built him a three-wheeled, belt-driven machine, delivered on 4 February 1957, and patented a sturdier clutch-based transmission in 1958 after hearing about the belt drive’s drawbacks.
Melroe and the Bobcat name
Melroe Manufacturing of Gwinner, North Dakota, took over marketing with the help of the Kellers’ uncle, an equipment dealer, and exhibited the machine at the 1958 Minnesota State Fair. Its four-wheeled M400 Skid-Steer Loader of 1960 established the modern layout; the Bobcat name was applied in 1962 to the 440 model, and the advertising line was “tough, quick, and agile”. The 700 series, including the 751, continued the same idea in a more developed form.
Three owners in fifty years
Clark Equipment Company bought Melroe in 1969, Ingersoll Rand bought Clark in 1995 and in July 2007 the construction equipment group was sold to the Doosan Group of South Korea for US$4.9 billion. The business is now Bobcat Company, and in 2017 its European headquarters moved from Waterloo, Belgium, to the Czech Republic.
Design and features
- A proven layout: four wheels, skid steering and a compact body, the formula first sold as the Melroe M400.
- Farm and site work: Bobcat loaders are sold for both farm and construction duties.
- Clutch transmission heritage: the patented system of 1958 replaced the earliest belt drive and made the loaders dependable.
- A worldwide trademark: Bobcat Company owns the registrations for the name in every major market.
Bobcat 751 versions
- Bobcat 743: the classic early 700-series model.
- Bobcat 753: the next number in the series.
- Bobcat 843 and 863: larger loaders of the 800 series.
The Bobcat 743 and the Bobcat 763 are close relatives; the whole line is in the Bobcat collection.
Video: Bobcat 751
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Bobcat Company, English Wikipedia: company history, product range, ownership
